- Joined
- Mar 13, 2010
- Messages
- 115
- Reaction score
- 10
I'm 22, finishing my bachelor's in Neuroscience this summer and planning on applying to MPH programs during the coming cycle. My plan is to do a 1 year MPH while applying to medical school. I know absolutely that I want to do both, and after having spoken with many advisors/professors/etc about the pros and cons of MPH before medical school, I have decided on this time path.
GPA: 3.65, GRE/MCAT: TBD (see below).
1.5 years clinical research (studies aimed at improving treatment of depressed teens)
1+ year pure bench neuroscience research
3 years community hospital volunteering (what actually opened me up to public health)
5 years PART TIME work experience in public health (health and safety for an apartment complex)
2 years work experience admissions + community outreach for my university to underserved communities
Lots of outside volunteering, few awards for service, etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I feel qualified for some good programs, but am aware of the restraints of 1) limiting myself to a 1 year MPH program and 2) doing it prior to medical school
Based on that I have so far decided to apply: JHU, USC, Tulane, Dartmouth. I'm from Los Angeles.
Am I able to apply to JHU given that at the time of application I will only have been out of undergrad about 4 months. I'm hoping my experiences will compensate for this, and that the 2 year rule is more so a guideline than a set-in-stone rule. Does anyone have comment on that?
My concern with timing is that if I want to apply to JHU and a few others, I will need to take the GRE in addition to the MCAT, instead of using my MCAT score for both application systems because the MCAT's last test date of the year is september (won't be ready by then) and not offered again until january. This January MCAT test date is too late to make some MPH programs' December application deadline. If I know that I am 1) competitive for some of these "top programs" and 2) my lack of full-time post-bachelor's work experience will not keep me out then I will doa Fall GRE and January MCAT.
I hope that wasn't too long and not too unclear. I am very appreciative of any help
GPA: 3.65, GRE/MCAT: TBD (see below).
1.5 years clinical research (studies aimed at improving treatment of depressed teens)
1+ year pure bench neuroscience research
3 years community hospital volunteering (what actually opened me up to public health)
5 years PART TIME work experience in public health (health and safety for an apartment complex)
2 years work experience admissions + community outreach for my university to underserved communities
Lots of outside volunteering, few awards for service, etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I feel qualified for some good programs, but am aware of the restraints of 1) limiting myself to a 1 year MPH program and 2) doing it prior to medical school
Based on that I have so far decided to apply: JHU, USC, Tulane, Dartmouth. I'm from Los Angeles.
Am I able to apply to JHU given that at the time of application I will only have been out of undergrad about 4 months. I'm hoping my experiences will compensate for this, and that the 2 year rule is more so a guideline than a set-in-stone rule. Does anyone have comment on that?
My concern with timing is that if I want to apply to JHU and a few others, I will need to take the GRE in addition to the MCAT, instead of using my MCAT score for both application systems because the MCAT's last test date of the year is september (won't be ready by then) and not offered again until january. This January MCAT test date is too late to make some MPH programs' December application deadline. If I know that I am 1) competitive for some of these "top programs" and 2) my lack of full-time post-bachelor's work experience will not keep me out then I will doa Fall GRE and January MCAT.
I hope that wasn't too long and not too unclear. I am very appreciative of any help